That mustache has been toned down this season and integrated into an all-out "Canadian playoff beard," in the words of the Ontario native. Most of the Cardinals are sporting playoff beards, but they haven't received quite the same attention. Axford's cool with that.

"They've been growing them for a while," he said. "A lot of guys have long beards, big beards. Every guy on their team has some kind of beard or facial hair. They really play it up quite well with the pulling on the beards, blowing it out a little bit extra. And they're in the World Series. You're going to get more attention."

The reliever, who came over from Milwaukee late in the season and has allowed a run in 3 1/3 postseason innings, gives Boston's beards a full thumbs-up.

"As a lover of facial hair myself, I think it's great. It's fantastic," Axford said. "It's great for them to be able to grab onto that and have fun with something as simple -- and some people would think as stupid -- as facial hair."